


Where I Sleep

by rivlee



Series: Live Fast, Die Old [8]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 08:06:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivlee/pseuds/rivlee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the one night Duro finally realizes he actually moved into Auctus' apartment months ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where I Sleep

Auctus knew better than to push certain issues with Duro. Some things just had to be left alone for the sake of peace and sanity. Duro got easily spooked by future possibilities and outcomes. He, like Auctus, had enough personal baggage to start a luggage line. It’s why, when Auctus made the sensible offer for Duro to move-in, he wasn’t worried or offended when Duro said he had to think about it. He’d expected it; almost counted on it. 

It allowed for his plan to take place without any suspicion. He’d just ease Duro into it until, a few months or so down the line, he’d realize he was practically moved-in anyway and there was no reason to freak out. They were six months into their reunion and in all that time, Duro had spent the night at this apartment on exactly twenty occasions. Ever since they got Moose, it had only been nine. 

So Auctus was pretty damn confused when Duro casually announced after dinner that he was spending the night at his studio apartment.

“Am I suddenly kicking you in the middle of the night or something?” Auctus asked. It was an honest question, and worst sleep habits had probably been developed somewhere.

“You and Moose have snuffling wars, but it’s really fucking cute,” Duro said. He kissed Auctus as he tried to stand, but Auctus pulled him back down.

“I feel like there’s something we need to talk about and I missed it.”

“Auctus,” Duro laughed as he shrugged him off, “it’s just one night. I’m sure you’re tired of having me here.”

“I’m not.” He never was; Duro belonged here. He fit. This apartment had quickly become _theirs_. Duro’s life had seamlessly slipped into the corners of Auctus’ own, and they’d been doing this _together_ thing pretty well.

Duro’s smile was soft and loving. He tilted his head and pecked Auctus’ cheek. “I’ll be back in the morning. Get some sleep.”

“Seriously, stay,” Auctus tried again as he, backed-up by Moose, followed Duro to the door.

Duro hadn’t slept at his apartment in four months. There were no groceries there. It hadn’t been cleaned. All his warm clothes and favorite dvds and his ipod were here. Duro’s game system and its games were strewn all over the office. His favorite throw pillow and blanket were on the futon in the studio. His fresh shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste were in the bathroom. All the possessions he cared about; family heirlooms, bits of jewelry, and a friggin’ Bible with the Frei family tree inside, were in their bedroom. There was really nothing back at that shithole of an apartment for Duro’s comfort. It would just be probably burned-out lights and musty sheets. Even the soap was old. He didn’t have a brush there. Or recently cleaned towels. 

Duro nuzzled his face. “Your co-dependency is showing. I will be back with breakfast.”

Auctus didn’t want to push, so he didn’t argue. “Call me when you get there,” he said.

“I’ll be fine,” Duro promised. He patted Moose’s head before he looked at Auctus again. They shared one last kiss, Moose whimpering at their feet, and then Duro slipped out. 

Auctus looked down at Moose. “Well, this fucking sucks.”

She huffed in agreement and collapsed on the floor, her head resting on her paws as she stared at the door. 

********************

Neither Auctus nor Moose could sleep with the obvious empty space in their bed, so around two in the morning he gave up and went with his art. He’d offered to make some posters for the ASPCA and Moose was more than willing to be his assistant. He knew that by three Duro would probably be back home. Duro normally woke around then wanting a glass a water; he never wanted to leave the comfort of their bed though, so he pushed and prodded at Auctus until _someone_ got him a fresh glass.

The sound of Duro’s key hitting the lock came a half-hour before Auctus expected it. He still had the row of poster boards laid out on the floor with Moose running back and forth, her paws dipped in washable paint decorating each one as she ran her laps.

“Uh-oh,” Auctus said as he grabbed her up. “We’re about to get yelled at.” 

Moose wiggled, eager to get down and greet Duro, but Auctus held on on tight. 

“I can’t sleep in my own bed anymore—what the fuck have you done to the floors,” Duro said.

“Hi, honey, you’re home. Again,” Auctus quipped. 

“That isn’t—why are Moose’s paws covered with paint,” he said, actually sounding pained.

“She’s helping me with those posters for the pit bull rescue group,” Auctus explained. 

Duro dropped his keys on the side table and pinched his brow. “ _This_ is what you do when I’m not here?”

Auctus shifted Moose and laughed at the patterns her paws made on his white t-shirt. “Considering your current reaction, I always felt it was better to not use the dog as a stamp and paintbrush around you.” 

Never mind that Moose actually liked it when she got hosed down in the bathtub and then allowed to run around the hallways as she dried off. What Duro didn’t know wouldn’t hurt any of them. He backpedaled into the bathroom before Duro could make any more stabbing-murder gestures at them.

“You’re going to ruin our bathtub,” Duro yelled after them.

“It’s washable paint,” Auctus called back. “We’ve done this like fifteen times,” he muttered.

“I’m sorry, did you say _fifteen_?” Duro asked. 

Auctus almost dropped Moose again as she tried to launch herself at Duro. He carefully placed her down in the tub. “Did I?” he asked.

“You’re a jackass,” Duro said. He sat down on the bathroom counter and nudged at Auctus’ shoulder with a foot. “Did you know I have no decent clothes left at my apartment? Or food? Or pillows? My movies aren’t there, and the only other pair of shoes I have our legit bunny slippers Nasir bought me as a joke.”

“Really? That’s unfortunate,” Auctus said as he very carefully focused on cleaning Moose’s paws.

“Yeah, it’s funny how hard it is to sleep when the sheets don’t smell right. I couldn’t even annoy the shit out of Agron, because my phone died and all my chargers are here.”

In a past life, Auctus must’ve pissed off some really vengeful god. It was the only explanation he could come up with as he gripped the sides of the tub and kept his mind focused on puppy paws and not the eyes boring into his back. He swallowed the words he wanted to say down and instead struggled to find something that sounded sympathetic and concerned.

“We’ll get you back-ups, then. You can have one here, one at work, and one at your,” he wrinkled his nose as he formed the word, “home.” He blindly grabbed for a towel and dried Moose off. She jumped out of the tub the second he was done, stopping only to rub against Duro’s legs, before she started her run around the apartment. It made him smile to hear the resounding tip-taps of her nails on the hardwood floor.

Duro grabbed his arm as Auctus stood. Auctus didn’t fight the touch. He followed when Duro pulled him in for a hug.

“So, about four months of me living here full time right?” Duro asked.

Auctus nodded. “About that,” he said. It was closer to _five_ , but he wasn’t going to freak Duro out if he could help it.

“You could’ve told me,” Duro accused.

Auctus rested his chin on Duro’s head. “I figured this way was easier, to let you realize it on your own. Less chance of a freak out and all that.”

“You do know it’s coming in the morning, right? Once I’ve had some sleep and time to think about it.”

Auctus did, but maybe, this time, with the casual way Duro was reacting to it all _now_ , they could avoid that. 

“Why bother worrying about something that’s already happened? This works, Duro. We don’t have to make it a big deal or act like it’s some big event if that freaks you out. We can just keep coasting along.”

“That could be a possibility,” Duro murmured into the fabric of Auctus’ t-shirt.

Auctus got it, he honestly did, he _understood_ needing the security blanket of having a place to run off to if everything went bad again. Hell, Auctus had a whole _mansion_ in the mountains he used for that very reason. It was different for the everyday though; they had a life and routine here, in this building, and it really fucking sucked when Duro wasn’t there. 

“We don’t even have to get rid of your studio,” Auctus said. “It’s not like you can’t afford to maintain the rent, even though I know you’ll argue it’s wasteful, it’ll be good to keep it up in case someone we know does need a temporary home. It might require some cleaning out and redecorating, but hey, Melitta lives for that shit.”

Duro looked up at him then, his face gone serious, but his eyes still so warm with emotion. He looked exhausted; all Auctus wanted to do was take him back to their bed and sleep.

“Come on,” Auctus said as he attempted to do just that.

“I love you, so fucking much, it really does scare me at times,” Duro admitted. “I’m not afraid of _us_ anymore, though. When I was trying to sleep in that bed, one that used to be mine, I couldn’t because it felt like a stranger’s. I don’t think I _can_ go back to that and I know I don’t want to.” He bit his bottom lip and looked off to the side. “I kind of think I’m in this for fucking life, and I really hope you are to, or else it’s going to get complicated some years down the line.”

Auctus cupped the cheeks of that far too precious face and just took a moment to breathe as the joy thrummed through him. “Couldn’t make me go if you tried,” he said.

Moose’s barks finally beckoned them to follow. She was already curled up on the bed, waiting for them to take their normal places. Auctus helped Duro strip down and tucked him in, murmuring his love with kisses pressed to the favorite places on that body, before he did one final check of the apartment. Sleepy kisses and demanding arms welcomed him into bed when he was finally done. Auctus smiled as the warm weight of Duro settled across his chest, with Moose at their feet, and finally got to sleep.


End file.
